The Autism Debate

The developmental disorder known as autism has gained much attention as the number of cases continue to grow. Is there an epidemic, or is something else behind the increase? Plus, Kent General Hospital goes robotic and be sure to protect yourself from allergies.

by Christine Facciolo

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Every day more than 900 Delaware schoolchildren head off to classrooms where they learn the social, verbal and behavioral skills that the rest of us take for granted.

They have autism, a developmental disorder that can compromise learning and impair social function. The condition has captured a great deal of press in recent years as the number of cases has soared. In 1995 the prevalence of autism was one in every 2,500 births. Today it occurs in one of every 91 children, according to the latest statistics from the U.S. government’s Health Resources and Services Administration.

Is there an epidemic of autism, or has the explosion of cases resulted from new definitions, greater awareness and more services?

Experts believe some of the increase may be due to how doctors define autism. In the 1990s the definition was expanded to include a group of related conditions known as “autism spectrum disorders.” Some support groups report that more than half of their families have diagnoses of milder disorders such as Asperger’s syndrome or another condition awkwardly known as pervasive developmental disorder.

Another reason for the rise could be the requirement for schools to report data on children receiving special education. Autism was added as a category beginning with the 1991-1992 academic year. Not surprisingly, there was a spike in cases reported between 1995 and 2004. But as Meduri notes, the criteria for an educational diagnosis of autism are less specific than for a medical one.

“I’ve seen children for a medical evaluation that I didn’t feel necessarily met the criteria, but they were able to give them an educational diagnosis of autism,” she says.

There have also been changes in parents’ perception of autism, the services schools provide and the financial assistance that comes with a diagnosis. Autism has become socially acceptable.

“There’s a perception that if you have autism, there are a lot more treatments available that may help, versus other intellectual and developmental disabilities that have a finality to them,” says Meduri.